Justifying device for proportional spacing typewriters



JUSTIFYING DEVICE FOR PROPORTIONAL SPACING TYPEWRITERS P. LEGLISE 2Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 12, 1965 Filed Dec.

/NVENTR ATTORNEY P. LEGLlSE Jan. 12, 1965 JUSTIFYING DEVICE FORPROPORTIONAL SPACING TYPEWRITERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 18, 1961 NSNS /NVENTR BY *BJI-BMW J- ATTORNEY United States Patent Oiitice3,165,19l Patented dan. l2., 1965 The present invention is directed to ajustifying device for typewriters provided with at least two space barsgiving two values for the spaces. Although this feature is associatedwith proportional spacing construction in machines of the present typingart, proportional spacing is not required for the application of thepresent invention. In the typewriters above referred to, one space bargives 2unit spaces, for instance, and the other S-unit spaces. Theavailability of two space values makes it possible to carry outjustiiication by substitut-ing one of these values for the other in thenumber of spaces required for each line, accord-ing to the processbelow:

(l) The operator types a preparatory copy of the text to be justified. Asheet of paper being placed on the platen, the operator draws -avertical line thereon, said line being at the distance from the lefthand margin equal to the justified width of typing desired. Thepreparatory copy is typed with the same space bar used throughout. Whenjustification is to be achieved by line lengthening, the two unit space'bar is used throughout the typing of the preparatory copy and no lineis permitted to go beyond the vertical line. On the other hand, ifjustication is to result from contraction of the lines, only the threeunit space bar is used and no line is permitted to end before reachingth Vertical line.

(2) For sake of clarity, it will be assumed in what follows thatjustification results from line expansion. Level with each line of thepreparatory copy, the operator writes the number of units by wh-ich theWritten line is short with respect to the vertical line. A line short by5 units is marked 5, a line short by 8 units is marked-8, etc. Thisanalysis of the copy Vmay be carried out by means of a rule graduated intype units; or each line can be completed at the time of typing by aseries of dots up to thevertical line, and the counting of these dotswill show the deficit of the line considered, taking into account thevalue of the dot in terms of units.

(3) Aline `short by n units should obviously be expanded by n units toemerge justified. This` will be achieved by actuating the 3-unit spacebar instead of the 2unit one n times, either consecutively or atselected points throughout the line. Generally, because it is thesimplest way, the operator counts the first rr spaces of the line whichare intended for typing with the 3-unit space bar, and marks whateversign, a cross for instance, at the (n-I-l)th space, that is, where the3-unit space bar should be abandoned for the 2unit space bar. (Insteadof counting the first n spaces of the line, the operator may, ofcourse,count the last .n ones, or still, 'n consecutive spaces anywhere in theline; in this case, however, there will be two changes of space barthroughout the line.) Each line of the preparatory copy requires thecounting of a number of consecutive spaces specific to said line and themarking of a space the place oftwhich, also, is specific to the line.This operation is timeconsuming and the frequency of errors increases inproportion to the volume of copy to handle, due to the tedious characterof this treatment.

line, then the Zaunit space bar up to the line end; or,

' when justification is carried out by line contraction-the preparatorycopy having been then typed with the 3-unit space bar-actuation of the2unit space bar from the beginning of the line up to and including thespace preceding the mark made on the line, then the 3-unit space bar upto the end of the line.

t A 65 The operations above concern only the preparatorycopy. Inthecourse; of justification, it is also essentialV to actuate therspace''bars in raccordance ywith the marks carried by `the preparatory copy;that is in the caseof justification through line expansion, theactuation of the 3-unit space bar from the beginning of the line up toand including the space preceding the mark made on the The process aboveis the quicker of the standard Ways, for in case the operator intends toselect the n spaces to be modified in each line, the lapses of timerespectively required by the marking of the preparatory copy and thecarrying out of justiiication are singularly increased.

In reference to this process, the invention makes possible the saving ofmuch time, both direct saving by elimination of certain operations, andindirect saving through the elimination of the need for carefulapplication on the part of the typist, the steps of the process whereerrors occur mostfrequently, being made automatic.

In respect to the preparatory copy, the invent-ion in most caseseliminates, for each line: iirst, the counting of the number n ofconsecutive spaces peculiar to the line considered, and next, themarking of the (rr-l-l)th space of said line; or else, the selection andcounting of the preferred n spaces and the marking of each of them. Onthe whole, the preparatory copy no longer requires marking, with theexception of few lines, as will be seen later on. And in the carryingout of justification, the invention relieves the operator of any need toWatch marks, as ywell as eliecting constant changes from one space barto another. Y

The invention provides these advantages by substituting the actuation ofa single member, called master space bar, for the usual direct actuationof the 2unit and 3-unit space bars, these last bars being madeselectively operable by the master space bar.

,To this end, the invention includes principally, in combination: amaster space bar (which constitutes the only member for introducing'thespaces in the course of justification, through its selective control ofthe subsidiary space bars), an escapement mechanismrwhich each action ofthe operator on the said master space bar releases, a finger to controlthe 2unit and 3-unit subsidiaryspace bars, said finger moving by a givenamount under the'action of a return system', dependent on each releaseof the escapement, and a system for setting the initial position of thecontrol linger in relation to the number of spaces to be modified ineach line; the escapement mechanism and the setting system being soarranged that the space bar control finger remains in correspondancewith one of the space bars to actuate it only until the number ofactions on the master space bar has equalled the number of spaces towhich the finger has been set, and then it automatically comes intoactuating relationship with the other space bar to actuate only saidother space bar up to a new setting operation.

To make automatic justitication possible with a device of this kind, itis obviously necessary that each line to be justified comprise a numberof spaces at least equal to its number of deficit units (at least equalto the number of excess units in the case of justitication by linecontraction). A line short by two units should therefore comprise atleast two spaces, a line short by ten units, at least ten spaces, andYso on. With a justifier expanding the lines, the operator shouldtherefore take care to roughly proportion the maximum permissibledeficit to the justification width being used. Thus, only those linesywhich have deficit amounts likely to be incompatible a (eg. using acombiantion of 3unit and 4-unit spaces, the latter being obtained -bytwo consecutive actions on the 2-uni-t space bar).

Gne of the objects-of the invention is to provide a device forjustifying by substituting one space value for another in an adjustablenumber of spaces, so that lthe operator need not count a particularnumber of spaces and mark a sign for the change of space bar on at leastone space for the great majority of lines of the preparatory copy.

A further object of this invention is to provide a means whereby theseries of spaces, which vary in number from line to line, are typed byactuation of a single master space bar which in turn actuates rst oneand then, after the preset requisite number of spaces have been typed,

Y the other of the subsidiary space bars. Thus, the operator can type aline in the usual manner, without the necessity of altering his typingtechnique.

Another object of the invention is the provision of justifyingmechanisms which are of simple design and most easy to use.

Another object of the invention is the embodiment of a geared downreturn system, so that the dynamic properties of the device (travelspeed of the moving parts, reactions in the escapement and resistance ofthe master space bar to operator action) remain practically constantthroughout the range of operation.

Another object of the invention consists of providing control of thespace bars by a master space bar such that the usual direct actuation ofthe space bars by the operator is still possible during justificationwithout interfering with the lsystem as hereinbefore described.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a locking systemfor the justifying device, so that the space bars are entirely clearedwhen the device is in locked position.

The invention may constitute a part of a typewriter, that is, it may beembodied in the structure of such a typewriter when the typewriter isbeing built or it may form an accessary intended for attachment to anexisting typewriter. The latter form will be no-w described in referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a plan view of a justifier accessory according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the justifier of FIG. l, wherein thefront cover has been removed and the position of a slider modified.

PIG. 3 is a side view from the left of :this justifier when locked innon-working position.

FIGS'. 4,5 and l6 are cross-sectional views of the justifier on linesivf-IV, V-V and VI-VI of FIG. 2, respectively, with certain parts notshown;

FIGS. 7 and 8 schematically show modified forms of escapement.

In the case of a justifier designated as an accesso-ry (FIGS. 1 to 6),the mechanism is preferably housed in a casing consisting of a base 4, aleft hand iiange 5, a right hand ange 6 and a back plate 7 which may beused `for securing the devi to the typewriter by means of a bracket S.Washers or a strip of resilient material (not shown) may be placedbetween the back plate 7 and the bracket S. The outline of thetypewriter cover is shown at 1, the 2-unit space bar at 2 and the 3-unitspace bar at 3. In the front, the device is closed by a cover 9 whichalso partially covers the upper part thereof.

A rack 10 is positioned between iianges S and 6, and

longitudinally maintained therebetween by pins 16 and 17. 'In the formrshown, this rack comprises fourteen teeth leach with substantiallytriangular proie, such as 1i and 12 near the right hand end of the rackand 13 and 14 near the left hand endthese teeth serve forescapementj-and a locking tooth 15, the profile of which is hererectangular. A design with fourteen teeth makes it possible to actuatethirteen times at the most the space bar 3 before passing to space bar2; its justitication capacity `is therefore thirteen units. The numberof teeth of the rack 1.0 may be increased to increase the justificationcapacity.

A rigid frame is made up of two paraliel roi-:ls 2@ and 2i to which twoend blocks 3G and 50 are secured. The left hand block 39 is keyed on rod20 by a pin 31 and on rod 21 by another pin 32 serving also to hook aspring. The right hand block 5? is keyed on the rods by pins such as 5l.The rod 2?, the ends of which pivo-t in the iianges S and 6, forms theswinging shaft of the trame. The ends of rod 21 are in Contact with theinner walls ot the iianges and therefore prevent the frame from longitudinally moving therebetwee The master space bar di) is secured to theupper faces of blocks 39 and Sii: on the block 3i?, by a cap screw 4t2and on the block 5d by a countersunk screw 43. When the operator presseson the portion 41 of the bar used as a hey, the frame swings about theaxis of its rod 20. It the operator 'iinds it easier, the swinging ofthe frame may be also controlled by means of a key 44 partially coveringone of the typewriter space barsthe Z-unit space bar in the presentcase. The key 4d is fixed on the block Sti, upon the master space bar4d, by milled knobs i5 and it is removable.

It is relevant to note that keys 41 and 44 do not prohibit the directactuation of the space bars 2 and 3, in the cases in which justificationcannot be carried out automatically, or for any other reason.

The master space bar finally comprises slot 45 for head 7e of a slider79 moving on rods Ztl and 2t of the frame, and a setting scale (seriesof vertical figures l to 13, FIG. l).

A plate 33 (FIG. 4) is secured to the left hand block 3G by a screw 34.A spring 35, hooked on the one hand onto the plate and, on the otherhand, onto pin 36 of the left hand fiange, constantly urges the lefthand block toward a cam 37. This cam makes it possible to modify therest position of the frame and therefore permits adjustment of theescapernent.

The right hand block 5d (FIG. 6) carries a grooved wheel 52 with a drum55 which freely turns about a Shaft 5o. The return cable 61 (FIG. 2) ishooked onto the pin 73 of the slider 7). This cable passes through thegroove of the wheel 52 and slot 53 of said wheel; a washer 54 forms aflange in respect to the rounded portion joining the groove to the slot.The cable leaves the slot tangentially to the drum S5 around which it iswound before hooking onto the drawback spring 60. This spring is hookedon pin 32 of the left hand block, already mentioned.

The diameter of wheel 52 is much greater than that of the drum 55, inorder that travel of the slider under the action of the drawback spring60 causes a comparatively small change in the spring length. Thus, thereturn force applied to the slider varies littie throughout the range ofoperation` A suiiiciently constant return force could be also obtainedby substituting a drum housed spiral coiled spring with many turns forthe wheel-drum arrangement.

The slider 70 carries (FIG. 5) the pin 73 for hooking the cable 61, thespace bar control finger 74 fixed by two screws 75, and the head 76moving in the slot 46. This head carries two parallel escapement teethor dogs, freely sliding in the slider 70 and cooperating with the teethof rack 10. A screw 77 housed in the head makes it possible to adjustthe engagement depth of dogs 7l, '72 in the rack toothing.

If z' (FIG. 2) denotes the pitch of rack 10, the dog 72 is arranged at adistance of 1.5i to the left of dog 71. It follows that when the dog 71rests on a tooth of the rack 10, the dog 72 is in line with the middleof the preceeding space between two rack teeth. Besides, the dog 72 issituated behind dog 7i in plan view, in order to be normally outside therack toothing, and little distance from it.

In FIG. 2, the slider 70 is set for justifying a line short by thirteenunits. To this end, the dog 71 has been brought into contact with thetooth 13 of rack- 10. When the operator presses upon the master spacebar 40 (key 41 or key 44, depending upon whichever key he feels mostconvenient for use), the frame swings about the axis of its rod 20, thespring 3S isstretched and the dog 71 disengages itself laterally (inFIG. 5) from the tooth 13 of the rack. At the same time dog 72 enters-into the rack toothing, at 0.5i to the left of tooth 14. During thismovement, the space bar finger control 74 lowers the space bar 3 abovewhich it is situated and the first 3unit space of the line isintroduced. When the dog 71 is completely disengaged from the tooth 13of the rack, the slider 70 moves suddenly by 0.51' and dog 72 comes intocontact with the tooth 14 of the rack. The dog 71 is then in line withthe middle of the space between the tooth 13 of the rack and the racktooth next to the righ-t. When the operator releases the master spacebar, the dog 72 progressively leaves the tooth 14 of the rack and, atthe time the disengagement occurs, the dog 71 is stopped in turn by therack tootbing after the slider has travelled an additional distance of0.51'. Thus the slider advances by one rack tooth at each action on themaster space bar 40.

In FIG. 1, the slider 70 is in the position it has reached after thefirst twelve 3-unit spaces of the line under consideration have beenintroduced (or else, in the position which would correspond to thejustification of a line short by one unit). Dog 71 rests against thetooth 11 of the rack and dog 72 is at 0.5i to the left of tooth 12 ofthe rack. When the master space bar 40 is lowered, the spring 35 isstretched, the dog 71 is laterally moved away (laterally in across-section View) from the rack tooth 11; and the dog 72, which hassimultaneously penetrated into the rack toothing, comes to stop againstthe rack tooth 12 while the slider moves forward by 0.5i. During thislapse of time, the space bar control finger 74 has lowered the space bar3 and the last 3-unit space of the line has been introduced. When theoperator releases the master space bar 40, the spring 35 returns theframe to its rest position, the dog 72 slides along the tooth 12 of therack to leave it laterally, and the dog 71 comes back into the rackplane. However, there Will no longer be any rack tooth to stop it whendog 72 iinally clears the rack tooth 12. At the time the escapementoccurs, the slider 70 advances suddenly until coming to rest against theright hand block 50. The space bar control finger 74 is then above the2unit space bar, and all the spaces introduced by further actions on themaster space bar will henceforth uniformly be 2unit spaces. When theframe swings, the dogs 71 and 72 move inoperatively in free space.

The device is set by raising the head 76 so that the dog 71 clears thetops of the teeth of rack 10, moving the slider 70 toward the left up toa position slightly to the left of the setting figure required (figure7, for instance, for a line short by seven units and marked 7 on thepreparatory copy), laying the head back on the slider, thus engaging thedog 71 in a suitable space in the rack toothing, and finally releasingthe slider. The traction of the return cable 61 immediately brings thedog 71 into contact with the required rack tooth.

When the justifier is not being used, access to the space bars may bemade completely free. To do so, the key 44 may vbe either removed or setback on the block 50 by means of the holes 47 and milled knobs 45. Next,the operator slightly raises the head 76 and pulls the slider 70 untilit stops against the block 30. In these conditions, the dog 72 comes toa position slightly to the left of the locking tooth 15 of the rack. Theoperator replaces the head on the slider, presses on the master spacebar 40 and releases the slider permitting the dog 72 to come to restagainst the locking tooth 15. While keeping the master space barlowered, the operator puts the bolt in locking posit-ion. This bolt,denoted by St) as a whole, conreturned by a spring 83.

sists of a bent round rod 81, the nib 82 of which holds the upper faceof the master space bar and -includes a catch 84. The bolt shaft slidesin the left hand flange 5 and is In the non-working position, the spacebar control finger 74 is to the left of the space bar 3 and lower thanit; in the same way, the key 41 of the master space bar is lower thanthe space bar 3.

The arrangement described above is likely to kbe modified, as oneskilled in the art can easily conceive. The housing of the justifierwithin a casing, its system of attachment to the typewriter, thestructure of the swinging part, the type of escapement, the sliderreturn system, the locking arrangement of the justifier, the position ofthe master space bar or keys thereof with respect to the usual spacebars, etc., may vary. It is possible, for instance, to arrange the keysof the master space bar so that they are lateral to the space bars andlevel therewith, or to provide one key only, etc.

Among these modifications, a large number may concern the type ofescapement provided. The mechanism embodied to the form described as anexample is of the two-dog type, the dogs engaging alternately thetoothing of a single rack. It is clear that one may use as a well asingle dog (FIG. 7) cooperating with two identical racks 101, 102, thelteeth of which are longitudinally set off with respect to each other byhalf a rack pitch; or using two dogs 71, 72, with each cooperating withits own rack 101, 102 (FIG. 3).l Also, the escapement release may befrom translation instead of a swinging type. The escapement gear mayalso be of the type embodying a wheel, such as is commonly used ontypewriters, and its dog or dogs may consist of pawls, or the like.

The putting of the dogs out of engagement with the rack teeth isnecessary for the initial setting of the slider as well as resettingwhen the required setting has been accidentally overrun. It is in factimpossible, in this case, to come back to the correct position by la fewactions on the master space bar. In the escapement arrangementdescribed, the rack is xed in position and the disengaging of the dogstherefrom is effected by lifting said dogs. But the dogs may remain at axed level and the rack or racks be made clearable in respect to them bya swinging motion about a longitudinal axis, by a fore to afttranslation or a vertical translation etc. To sum up, all kinds ofescapement arangements and clearing designs for the escapement may beused, giving as much modified forms of the invention.

When the justifying device, instead of constituting an accessory of thekind set forth hereinbefore, is embodied to .the typewriter at the timeof its building up in order to form a part thereof the same as any otherstructural assembly, -it is housed under the cover and only the memberswhich the operator should handle protrude: (a) a master key or bar forintroducing the spaces in the course of justification, this master keyor bar being integral with the member of the embodied justifying devicecorresponding to the master space bar 40 of the accessory version; (b) ajustification setting knob, corresponding .to the head 74E-or replacingpart-of the accessory version; and eventually (c) a justifier lockingcontrol corresponding to the lock S0, or similar part, of the accessoryversion.

The space bar control linger 74, when placed also under the typewritercover, no longer controls the space bars from above, but rather at theirbase, through a longitudinal strip, flange or rib with which each spacebar is provided. Alternatively, it controls directly the pairs of leverseach carrying a space bar, through longitudinal plates secured to eachof these pairs of levers.

I claim:

1. A justifying device for typewriters having at least two space barsfor typing spaces of two different widths,

comprising: v"

a space bar control iinger for actu-atingfthe space bars; a slidercarrying said space bar control finger through a longitudinal movement;

a frame carrying the slider, said frame being capable of swing about ahorizontal axis;

a master space bar rigidly mounted on said frame and adapted to depresssaid space bars through the medium ofV the slider and space bar controllinger;

a return system for said slider and space bar control y linger;

Yari escapement allowing the slider and space bar control finger tomovestepwise each time said master space bar is manually actuated, and

means for setting the initial position of the siider and lspace barcontrol nger whereby said linger is in actuating position with respectto one of said space bars until a predetermined number of actuations hasbeen effected on the mster space bar, after which the slider and spacebar control inger move into actuating position with respect to anotherone of the space bars.

`2. A justifying device as provided for in claim 1, wherein saidescapernent comprises a Xed rack and two dogs co-operating therewith,one of said dogs being disengageable from said rack by a raisingmovement to allow for the stepwise movement of the slider and space barconn trol finger.

Clt

dog co-operating therewith, said dog being disengagcable from said racksby a raising movement to allow for the stepwise movement of the sliderand space bar control finger.

5. A justifying device according to claim l, wherein the slider andspace bar control linger return system is of the geared-down typeconsisting of a wheel with a drum of smaller diameter, a return cablebeing attached to the slider and passing lirst on the wheel and thenaround the drum and a return spring-to which the return cable isattached,

6. A justifying device according to claim 1, wherein the master spacebar is provided with a removable key extending over that of one of thespace bars most frequently used in conventional typing.

7. A justifying device according to claim 1, wherein the master spacebar is provided with a key extending over one of the space bars and acam member by which the rest position of the frame is adjustable.

8. A justifying device according to claim 1, such device being enclosedin a casing provided with means by which it is Iattached to thetypewrter, said means including a bracket secured to the typewriterframe and to which the casing is detachably attached without anyconnection to a movable part of the typewriter.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS2,018,547 Colton Oct. 22, 1935 2,307,339 Szego et al. Jan. 5, i9432,322,222 Colton June 22, 1943

1. A JUSTIFYING DEVICE FOR TYPEWRITERS HAVING AT LEAST TWO SPACE BARSFOR TYPING SPACES OF TWO DIFFERENT WIDTHS, COMPRISING: A SPACE BARCONTROL FINGER FOR ACTUATING THE SPACER BARS; A SLIDE CARRYING SAIDSPACE CONTROL FINGER THROUGH A LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT; A FRAME CARRYINGTHE SLIDER, SAID FRAME BEING CAPABLE OF SWING ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS; AMASTER SPACE BAR RIGIDLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME ADAPTED TO DEPRESS SAIDSPACE BARS THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF THE SLIDER AND SPACE BAR CONTROLFINGER; A RETURN SYSTEM FOR SAID SLIDER AND SPACE BAR CONTROL FINGER; ANESCAPEMENT ALLOWING THE SLIDER AND SPACE BAR CONTROL FINGER TO MOVESTEPWISE EACH TIME SAID MASTER SPACE BAR IS MANUALLY ACTUATED, AND MEANSFOR SETTING THE INITIAL POSITION OF THE SLIDER AND SPACE BAR CONTROLFINGER WHEREBY SAID FINGER IS IN ACTUATING POSITION WITH RESPECT TO ONEOF SAID SPACE BARS UNTIL A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF ACTUATIONS HAS BEENEFFECTED ON THE MASTER SPACE BAR, AFTER WHICH THE SLIDER AND SPACE BARCONTROL FINGER MOVE INTO ACTUATING POSITION WITH RESPECT TO ANOTHER ONEOF THE SPACE BARS.